Blue Ridge District

WILLIAM FLEMING COLONELS (Class 5; Region C)
2025 Record: 8-4 overall; 5-0 Blue Ridge District (District Champions)
Playoffs: Lost in Region 5C Semi-finals to Highland Springs
Head Coach: Zach Leonard - 4th season overall; 1st season at Fleming
Career Record: 6-25
Record at William Fleming: 0-0 
2025 Points Scored/Average: 354 (29.5)
2025 Points Allowed/Average: 166 (15.0)

Of Note: Leonard took Blacksburg from 0 wins in 2023 to 5 in his final season and then immediately bolted for Fleming where he will coach athletes that he could only have dreamed of at Blacksburg. Leonard is a graduate of Patrick Henry and faces a daunting schedule in his first year beginning with Class 4 champion Varina, Salem, Patrick Henry and George Washington. Colonels last won a region title in 2020 season (Spring 2021)

FRANKLIN COUNTY EAGLES (Class 5; Region C)
2025 Record: 4-7 overall; 2-3 Blue Ridge District
Playoffs: Lost in the first round of the Region 5C playoffs to Patrick Henry
Head Coach: J.R. Edwards - 18th season overall; 15th season at Franklin County
Career Record: 78-100
Record at Franklin County: 47-77
2025 Points Scored/Average: 204 (18.5)
2025 Points Allowed/Average: 317 (38.8)

Of Note: Franklin County is the poster child for the plight of a county high school. They most often look the part, but do not have the talent and athletes to compete with Class 5 schools state wide. Give Edwards credit as he’s not ducking anyone with non-district games against Salem, Patrick Henry, Magna Vista, and Liberty Christian. That schedule is going to make getting back to 4 wins very difficult

LORD BOTETOURT CAVALIERS (Class 5; Region D)
2025 Record: 9-4 overall; 3-2 Blue Ridge District
Playoffs: Lost to Magna Vista in Region 3D Championship game to Magna Vista
Head Coach: Nick Leftwich - 6th season overall; 1st season at Lord Botetourt
Career Record: 36-23 
Record at Lord Botetourt: 0-0
2025 Points Scored/Average: 433 (33.3)
2025 Point Allowed/Average: 325 (25.0)

Of Note: Exit Jamie Harless, who moved back home to take over Class 2 powerhouse Union in far Southwest Virginia and enter Nick Leftwich. Both Harless and the school needed a reset as the program had plateaued under Harless. Leftwich will bring a more diversified offense as Harless was most often content to have his Quarterback take the snap and take off running. Open the season with a Week “0” game against Rye Cove at Emory and Henry University. Schedule is challenging with Rye Cove, Class 3 semi-finalist Magna Vista, Class 4 George Washington and Class 5 William Fleming. Ironically Leftwich’s William Fleming team handed Lord Botetourt its worst loss in 2025 with a 46-0 beatdown.

WILLIAM BYRD TERRIERS (Class 3; Region D)
2025 Record: 8-4 overall; 3-2 Blue Ridge District
Playoffs: Lost in Region 3D semi-finals to Lord Botetourt
Head Coach: Brad Lutz - 18th season overall; 8th at William Byrd
Career Record: 91-92
Record at William Byrd: 41-34
2025 Points Scored/Average: 403 (33.6)
2025 Points Allowed/Average: 245 (20.4)

Of Note: String of back-to-back Region 3D championships was snapped with a loss to Lord Botetourt after beating Botetourt in the regular season 42-41. Open the season against 3 teams that they beat by a combined 139-10 in 2025.

NORTHSIDE VIKIINGS (Class 3; Region D)
2025 Record: 6-5 overall; 2-3 Blue Ridge District
Playoffs: Lost in Region 3D Quarterfinals to Carroll County
Head Coach: Scott Fisher - 11th season overall; 11th season at Northside
Career Record: 43-53
Record at Northside: 43-53
2025 Points Scored/Average: 263 (23.9)
2025 Points Allowed/Average: 188 (17.0)

Of Note: Since the disaster of 0-10 in 2022, Northside has gone from 0 wins to 2 wins to 5 wins and 6 in 2025. Best win in 2025 was a win over eventual Class 1 Champion Rappahannock, a game added to the schedule after Galax cancelled its season. Rustburg replaces Galax on the schedule. Fisher a former Northside Quarterback has weathered some bad times at Northside but it is a fair question as to how long Northside will go with a head football coach who is not only not in the school as a teacher, but not even part of the Roanoke County school system.

STAUNTON RIVER GOLDEN EAGLES (Class 3; Region D)
2025 Record: 3-7 overall; 0-5 Blue Ridge District
Playoffs: None
Head Coach: Clay Feazell - 2nd season overall; 2nd season at Staunton River
Career Record: 3-7
Record at Staunton River: 3-7
2025 Points Scored/Average: 223 (22.3)
2025 Points Allowed/Average: 295 (29.5)

Of Note: Won 3 of their first 4 games, and then the bottom dropped out with 6 straight losses. During their first 4 games, they scored 127 of their season total 223 points. Have the dubious distinction of being the only district school to not make the post-season